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(No Model.)

- F. W. OST ROM.

SWITCH CAM AND FOLLOWER.

No. 303,317. Patented Aug. 12, 1884.

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llNiTn STliTns PATENT FFICE.

FREELAND OSTROM, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VHEELER &\VILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWITCH CAlVl AND FOLLOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,317, dated August12, 1884.

Application filed January 7, 18524. (No model.)

To Z7, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREELAND W. OSTROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwitch-Cams and Followers; and I do hereby declare the following i to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to switch-cams and followers; and has for itsobject to produce a device which shall be simple and economical inconstruction, in which the amount of wear shall be reduced to theminimum, and which shall be so constructed that the. reverse movement ofthe follower must take place with absolute certainty, while at the sametime the points of the follower can, under no circumstances, come incontact with any of the points upon the threads or the frog.

- With these 'ends in view my invention con sists in a double followerso constructed as to ride upon-4. 0., straddlea ridge or spline in steadof traveling in a groove as heretofore.

My invention also consists in a switch-cam having ridges or splinesinstead of grooves for the follower, and a frog of suitable construe 0tion at the intersection of the splines.

In order that others may understand and use my improved device, I willproceed to describe the same, referring by letters to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specifica- 5 tion, in which Figure 1 is aplan view of my preferred form of switclrcam, showing the frog. Fig. 2is a plan view of the opposite side of the cam. Fig. 3 is a plan View ofa modified form of cam in position similar to Fig. 1. Fig. 4. isareverse plan view of the modification. Fig. 5 is an elevation, and Fig.6 a bottom plan view, of one form of follower; and Fig. 7 is anelevation, and Fig. 8 a bottom plan view, of a fol- 5 lower soconstructed that it may be adjusted to compensate for wear.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

A represents the spline upon which the follower rides, and B is'a frogplaced at the in tersection of the splines. This frog is preferablydiamond-shaped, and its opposite parallel sides conform, substantially,to the side lines of the splines, ample space being left between thefrog and the ends of the splines to permit the passage of the wings ofthe follower.

G O are set-screws by which the cam is attached to the shaft.

The modified form of cam shown in Figs. 3 and 4t varies from thepreferred form only in that the wings of the follower do not run ingrooves, (see A in Figs. 1 and 2,) but all the superfluous metal is cutaway from the face of the camas, for instance, the ridges or strips D,which lie between the outer grooves, A, and the edge of the cam, andalso the strip or ridge E, which separates the inner grooves, A, fromeach other.

In Figs. 3 and 4 splines A, upon which the follower rides, stand outfrom the face of the cam, the only grooves about the cam being thespaces between the ends of the splines and the frog.

In practice, the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is deemed preferable;but the ridges or strips D and E, and consequent grooves A, are not ofthe essence of my invention, the broad idea of which consists inavoiding the use of grooves, in using a frog, and in using a doublefollower, which rides on or straddles 8o suitably-constructed splines,and also the frog. The follower consists of a shank, F, of ordinaryconstruction, having a head, G, from which project two wings, H, whichin use lie on opposite sides of the spline. S 5

The follower illustrated in Figs. fraud 6 is exceedingly simple inconstruction. The blank may be made upon a screw-machine and the headmilled down to form the wings, between which an open space is left inwhich the spline 0 works.

The follower illustrated in Figs. 1 and S is substantially like theother one, except that the head is made thicker and is cut throughlongitudinally between the wings, as shown at 9 5 K in Fig. 8. Aset-screw, I, draws the two parts of the head, and necessarily thewings, near together, thus providing an adjustment to compensate forwear in use. The wings are preferably made thicker in the middle, with Ithe sides curving slightly, as shown, so that it will be impossible forthe follower to come violently in contact with any of the angles of thesplines or the frog, as the bearing of the fol.- lower thereon is onlyat the middle or thickest portion, the points of the wings never comingin contact with either splines or frog.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Suppose the follower to beupon the upper spline, A, in Figs. 2 and 4, and the cam rotating fromleft to right. As the rotation of the cam proceeds and it approaches theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the follower will follow the curve inspline A onto and across the frog, and then onto the lower spline.\Vhile crossing the frog the wings of the follower will lie in thegrooves a a. After the follower has passed onto the lower spline, as therotation continues, it remains on the lower spline until the revolutionis completed, then following the curve it again passes onto and acrossthe frog, and onto the upper spline again. \Vhile passing across thefrog the second time, the wings of the follower lie in the grooves Z)I). (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

Having thus described my invention, I

claim 1. A switch-cam having splines upon which the follower rides, anda frog or frogs at the intersection of the splines, as described, andfor the purpose set forth.

2. A switch-cam having splines upon which the follower rides, groovesboth sides of the splines, and a frog or frogs at the intersectionthereof, substantially as described.

3. Afollower for switch-cams, having wings upon the head thereof, withan open space be tween them, as described, and for the purpose setforth.

4. A follower for switch-cams, having two wings upon the head thereof,and a longitudinal out between the wings, whereby the wings are madeadjustable by a set-screw to eompensate for wear.

5. A switch-cam having splines upon which the follower rides, and a frogor frogs at the intersection thereof, in combination with a followerhaving wings upon its head, which bear upon opposite sides of thespline.

6. Aswitch-cam having splines A,-onc or more frogs, B, and grooves A, a,and I), in combination with a follower having shank F and head G, withwings H, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREELAND W. OS ROM.

YVitnesscs:

A. M. WVoos'rnR, A. B. FAIRCHILD.

